THE easy-going exterior of Bolton midfielder Gareth Farrelly conceals the pain of dropping out of the first-team picture last season.

But it’s there – and so is the steely ‘I’ll show ‘em’ determination to force his way back into Bolton’s highly-competitive midfield.

The Republic of Ireland international, 28 at the end of the month, wasn’t the only midfielder to be sidelined, especially after Jay-Jay Okocha got to grips with Premiership soccer in the second half of the season.

Kevin Nolan was also reduced to a role on the substitutes’ bench as the form of Ivan Campo and Per Frandsen added to the competition.

Farrelly said: “Jay-Jay was terrific and, from my viewpoint, his goals and what happened with him in the side was a major part of keeping us up.

'Fight on my hands'

“Certain people will always dominate the Press but we had a group of people, such as Per Frandsen, who were there all the time quietly going about their business.

“They are as important to the club as anyone. I got frustrated but even when I disagreed with the gaffer, I never got away from the common goal of success for the club.

“I know I’ve got a fight on my hands to get back into the team but I’m ready for it. I’ve been looking forward to the pre-season and to playing some games. Then we’ll see what develops from there.”

Dublin-born Farrelly added: “Last season was a disappointment in personal terms but I am delighted that the club stayed in the Premiership for everybody’s sake.

“What happens now is up to the manager but I’ve come back fitter and stronger so I want to try to push on from the start of the season.

“I thought things went reasonably well for me when I got into the team last season but we were losing games.

“Then I picked up an injury and I went out again.

“I never got back in on a regular basis and that led to frustration between myself and the manager.”

Farrelly spent a late-season spell on loan at Rotherham but he never viewed it as taking a first step out of the Reebok.

Loan spell

He added: “The manager spoke to me before I went. I was happy to go because I love playing and it gave me the opportunity to play for a month.

“I was grateful to Rotherham manager Ronnie Moore for giving me the chance because I hadn’t played many games in the period before I went.

“I had five or six games in a month, something I hadn’t done at Bolton in two years. I came back fresher and fitter, and I think it showed.”

It was too late to earn Farrelly a first-team chance, especially with Wanderers in the depths of a relegation struggle.

He said: “I didn’t expect to come back in at that stage of the battle but that doesn’t mean to say that it wasn’t frustrating not being involved.”